Learjet 40/45: 8-Year Landing Gear Inspection

February 2012

At Duncan Aviation, we are concerned about the limited capacity for the Lear 40 & 45 8-year gear inspections on the main struts and main landing gear (side stay) actuators that are coming due this summer.

July 6, 2012 Deadline

When IRNs 3220018 and 3220111 were published, there was a Note that stated:
 “On A/C with over 6 years from C of A, perform inspection within 24-months of July 6, 2010.” 
With that note, there are an unknown number of gear sets that will be due on July 6, 2012.

As of this moment, we are being given a turntime of 15 calendar days from the vendor. This does not include the time necessary for the removal, shipping and reinstallation. As the July 6, 2012, deadline approaches, I anticipate that the stated turntime will only increase.

To avoid the potential bottleneck and scheduling conflicts, many operators are choosing to do their 8-year gear inspection early, in combination with larger inspections that require longer downtimes.

Gear Log Book

Upon completion of the 8-year gear inspection, you will receive a gear log book for each strut and actuator. If you have had any components replaced or had loaners installed (i.e. axles), providing any landing differentials upfront will ensure that you receive an accurate log book for your gear.

There are a limited number of Heroux-Devtek Authorized Maintenance providers able to perform this inspection and an unknown number of gear sets coming due. I recommend you get this on your calendar before the demand for it exceeds the resources.